The 2024 Progress Report of the European Commission for Albania was presented today to Prime Minister Rama by Silvio Gonzato, the Ambassador of the European Union Delegation in Albania, following a meeting at the Prime Minister’s office.

During the press conference held on this occasion, Ambassador Gonzato remarked that the European Commission sees opportunities for Albania to accelerate its EU membership process in the coming years. He stated: “Most importantly, the Commission states that it is ready to support the Albanian government’s ambitious goal of concluding membership negotiations by the end of 2027”.

Prime Minister Rama, highlighted that this is the most positive report in recent years, reaffirming the progress Albania has made. “I am very pleased that we are receiving a highly favorable report today—the most positive in many years. This reflects the country’s progress, and the second intergovernmental conference has effectively confirmed the acknowledgment by all EU institutions and member states of the advancements made by Albania in meeting the conditions at this stage of the membership negotiations,” the Prime Minister expressed.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Now it has become a ritual; every October we receive the results of the annual state-building exams reflected in the European Union’s progress report. This October is special because a few weeks ago, the second intergovernmental conference of Albania with the EU was held in Luxembourg for the opening of negotiations on the 8 foundational chapters and criteria.

The conference, as you know, affirmed the recognition by all EU institutions and countries of the progress made by Albania in fulfilling the conditions for this stage of negotiations for EU membership, and everything that has been said and done is highlighted in the report released by the European Commission.

I am here together with the ambassador of the EU delegation to officially receive a copy of the report, so I will interrupt my speech here to continue after I receive the report and the ambassador presents a summary of the reasons for being here today with me.

Ambassador Silvio Gonzato: Thank you, Prime Minister. It is a pleasure for me to be here today. This is my first enlargement report here in Tirana, which was adopted yesterday by the European Commission, and it is truly a pleasure to hand it over to you and to the President of the Republic, and after this press conference, I will meet with the Speaker of the Assembly and the Chair of the Committee on European Affairs.

Clearly, this year’s report comes in a favorable context for Albania’s integration process into the EU, as you mentioned, Prime Minister. I was there, and it was a true privilege for me that we opened negotiations for the foundational cluster group at the second intergovernmental conference. Albania presented three roadmaps that will guide its efforts for reform. I will never tire of emphasizing how significant this is as a key moment in the journey toward membership. Last week, the Commission also approved the country’s reform agenda that will pave the way for the implementation of the growth plan, which in turn will act as a catalyzer to bring the country more swiftly toward EU membership.

In the enlargement package approved yesterday by the Commission, an unwavering commitment of Albania to EU integration is noted as the key strategic priority of the country. It fully acknowledges that Albania maintains its record of full alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy. This continues to send a strong signal about the strategic choice of the EU, the interest in the EU, and its role as a reliable partner. The Commission sees an opportunity for Albania to accelerate its EU membership process in the next years. As President Von Der Leyen said during her visit last week, if the pace of reforms accelerates, Albania could succeed in opening all chapter groups by the end of 2025.

As the commission published yesterday says: the Commission supports the opening of chapter group 6, external relations, by the end of this year if this positive trend continues, more importantly is that the Commission declares its readiness to support the ambitious objective of the Albanian government to close membership negotiations by the end of 2027.

As I said, these ambitious deadlines can become a reality if Albanian authorities further intensify the pace of EU-oriented reforms, specifically regarding the rule of law, consolidating the balance for the implementation of the law, effectively fighting corruption and organized crime, and promoting fundamental rights including media freedom, property rights, and minorities. This is why, the 2024 report for Albania published yesterday offers important guidance as the report usually provides a fair assessment of where the country stands and offers recommendations on what measures should be prioritized for the coming year.

Allow me, Prime Minister, to highlight some key findings of the report with particular attention to the foundational cluster group that we are currently negotiating. Regarding the political criterion, the report assesses the functioning of democratic institutions as partially satisfactory, mainly due to the deeply polarized political situation that negatively impacts the Parliament’s ability to play its key legislative and oversight role, resulting in delays in appointing individuals to key positions, due to unaddressed shortcomings in the electoral process and the lack of meaningful public consultations. The key message here is the urgent need to rebuild a constructive and inclusive political dialogue, which is essential for Albania’s democratic system but also for the possibility of implementing EU-related reforms.

The functioning of the judiciary continues to occupy a significant space of the annual report. The Commission notes some progress in this area, especially with the completion of the vetting process at the first level, which is a major milestone. Concerns remain regarding attempts at political interference and pressure in the judicial system, and shortcomings regarding merit-based appointments of non-magistrate members in the High Judicial Council and the High Prosecutorial Council as well as their integrity. The report also provides specific recommendations to address these issues. Regarding the quality and efficiency of justice, the report highlights the need to improve the implementation of the new judicial map and also calls for more efforts to ensure the gradual expansion of the system at a time when concrete progress is being made in this regard.

Corruption continues to be a serious concern. The report notes some progress in the fight against corruption, due to the excellent work done by SPAK (Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime), which has continued to produce concrete results, including cases involving politicians and high-level officials.

The systematic use of SPAK for financial investigations and asset confiscation has also improved. The Commission, calls for efforts to further strengthen proactive referrals from institutions for a more proactive call for referrals from institutions to SPAK.

At the same time, the Commission sees significant room for improvement regarding the efforts to fight corruption that have had limited impact so far. In this regard, it calls for a targeted assessment of the risk for vulnerable sectors. The implementation of the new anti-corruption strategy, the approval of which is dominant, should be an opportunity to make progress here. When it comes to the fight against organized crime, the Commission considers that some progress has been made in this area, again thanks to SPAK, which has actually increased capacity in investments, financial investigations, strengthening the fight against money laundering, as well as the seizure of assets linked to organized crime. Albania needs to continue to work to ensure the independence of law enforcement agencies. Key recommendations in this area also include the need to continue cooperation with EU member states and EU agencies by increasing capacities to fight cybercrime and money laundering and to prevent human trafficking.

Albania is also expected to establish an office for asset recovery without delay in accordance with the EU acquis, and I see that there are developments in this area as well. Regarding fundamental rights, the report notes progress in certain areas, particularly in the rights of victims, and calls on authorities to intensify efforts for implementation overall, especially in the area of violence against women, and to effectively implement the national agenda for the Child’s Right.

Other key recommendations in this area also include the need to move forward with the harmonization of the law on the protection of personal data in line with the EU acquis, and efforts to consolidate property rights, including decisive progress on initial registration, compensation, and improving the transparency of the state cadasters on the rights of persons belonging to minorities, the report emphasizes the need to also adopt and implement the secondary legislation, specifically the issuance of secondary acts that remain to be issued, particularly for the identification and use of minority languages and to strengthen the capacity of the state committee for national minorities.

Finally, I would like to address another very important area, which is the report’s findings this year regarding freedom of expression. Unfortunately, the Commission notes no progress in this area, particularly concerning long-standing issues related to the interests of business, media, and politics, as well as the problematic working conditions for journalists. I want to mention that I am collaborating with Professor Marku to improve this situation.

I also hope that the opening of cluster 1 of the negotiations will provide an opportunity for the Albanian authorities to fulfill these reform commitments for the media outlined in the rule of law roadmap.

I would like to conclude by encouraging once again not only the government but all Albanian institutions to fully take advantage of the renewed political attention of the EU towards enlargement. I will seek strong political leadership with broad inter-party unity and a robust negotiating structure, as well as effective consultation mechanisms.

The overwhelming part of Albanians wants their country to draw closer to the EU, and we cannot disappoint them. The EU delegation will be here with you to accompany you on this journey.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador!

I have said this more than once, and today is another opportunity to reiterate that the progress report, in my view, is the most comprehensive, detailed, reliable, and international document that Albania receives and on which we refer sentence by sentence in the fullest sense of the word because It is the only international report based solely on facts, not perceptions or surveys, and it refers to facts in light of the principles and standards of operation of European union institutions and member states. I am very pleased that today we receive a very positive report—the most positive one in all these years—and rightly so, as it reflects the progress of the country. The second Intergovernmental Conference has effectively affirmed the recognition by all institutions and countries of the European Union of the progress made by Albania in fulfilling the conditions for this phase of the membership negotiations.

The report is real and balanced, recognizing all efforts and progress made, while accurately marking the milestones for the steps that need to be taken further, as well as the issues on which we need to focus in order to fully meet the membership conditions. In the summary presentation by the ambassador, it was very clear what the priorities are to be addressed in this new phase of the process.

Certainly, this process is ongoing, but anyone who truly wants to understand and learn where Albania stands today in all areas would do well to read this report. They would find no other place with a more precise analysis and an overview of the current situation in the country. Allow me to share just a few of the key moments from the report.

First, justice. Beyond all internal controversies, the report gives a high assessment of the implementation of the justice reform and emphasizes that this reform has led to significant improvements in the functioning of justice in the country. Of course, as the ambassador also pointed out, there are specific points that need to be addressed, and there are still gaps that need to be filled. The European Commission rightly values the work of the SPAK, as you heard from the ambassador in his summary, the continuity of results, and further advancements in the investigation of complex corruption cases, including those related to high-profile political and official figures.

Secondly, the economy and growth of well-being; the report reaffirms this year the continued economic growth of the country and Albania’s further preparation for a functioning market economy based on the principles and conditions guaranteed by the European Union for every member state. Economic growth has been strong, the report states, as is the truth, and the support of this growth, alongside the increase in tourism and investments, is a fact. On the other hand, the report highlights the significantly improved fiscal performance of the country, the decline in the deficit, and the further reduction of public debt, emphasizing that the financial sector of the country is stable.

Thirdly, there is a point that I think is important to share in this very concise presentation: the good progress and increasing alignment with the criteria for membership in the European Union in the energy sector, which is a critical and strategically significant area, especially highlighted by the current global and European conditions. This includes the alignment with the energy market and the standards of the European Union, as well as the certification of the relevant operators. Continuing our efforts and increasing investments in energy, along with support for citizens and businesses, as well as the ambition to become a net energy exporter within this decade and part of the European energy market, are very important elements that accurately reflect the epochal transformation we have made and continue to make in the energy sector.

Fourthly, digitalization. Albania is a leader in the region in digitalization, and the entire process of transforming public services has put us on a very solid foundation for further developments.

Finally, but not least in importance, I would like to emphasize, as the ambassador did, the foreign and security policy of Albania, which is highly valued. I do not wish to elaborate further and I reiterate, whoever talks about the European Union, whoever discusses European integration, whoever appears on screens or writes about this process should read this report, as it serves as an invaluable data foundation for discussing sensible matters when we talk about Albania’s membership process in the EU. The report is public; anyone can read it, evaluate it, inspect it, and use it. As I mentioned at the beginning, I want to reiterate that it is the most detailed, and accurate reflection of developments in the country over the last 12 months.

Everyone else writes, gives opinions, gathers perceptions, makes conclusions, but they are very far from the professionalism and objectivity of the European Commission. For this reason, Europe, the EU, and the European Commission are the greatest blessings for a country like Albania, which otherwise would find it impossible to build the state it is creating and to become part of a family with values, standards, and operational criteria that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Thank you for the report, thank you for the assessment, thank you for the critiques, thank you for the tasks. We are ambitious students in this process. I am very pleased that year by year we receive good marks, but we are very aware that to achieve the maximum mark, which is the seal of membership in the European Union, we still have a lot to do and we have shortcomings and gaps to address and we are confident that we have all the capacities to address them, thanks to the increasingly close partnership we have with the delegation of the European Commission here and with the European Commission itself in Brussels.

-In the declaration of the Progress Report, it is cited that the Albanian government has expressed its ambition to open all membership clusters by the end of 2027. How feasible is the fulfillment of this ambition, and what priority or challenge needs to be addressed at this moment? Meanwhile, the question for the Prime Minister is: the ambassador also emphasized in his statement that the country needs urgent political dialogue. Prime Minister, do you have the means, or an offer for the Albanian opposition to engage in this process and all parliamentary processes related to integration, considering that there has been concern on their part about feeling excluded? Thank you.

Ambassador of the EU Delegation, Silvio Gonzato: As you said, the communication approved yesterday by the Commission expresses the support and willingness of the Commission to accompany the Albanian government in its efforts, in its objective to open all negotiation chapters in 2025.

We have done an assessment and seen that it is possible—very ambitious—but we know that Albania can also be ambitious, which has been demonstrated by the technical capacities during the screening process of the legislation to professionally address the wide range of issues covered by the EU acquis. So this is an offer. It is an offer from our side for readiness and support, but it also demands considerable effort and determined political will from Albania. It also demands the willingness of member states to agree to open these chapters. Let me say, of course, if member states are convinced that Albania has indeed made progress and met the necessary membership benchmarks or standards to move to that phase, I truly believe we can make significant progress in this regard. In fact, I think it’s important to have such an objective because it provides focus and also offers motivation and ownership over Albania’s process.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Thank you for the questions. I will start with the first one; you are well aware that the second intergovernmental conference was postponed due to a political problem with our southern neighbors. Moreover, if you have been attentive, you must have heard me say that this is of no significance to us regarding our progress because we will continue our work, and at the moment we will sit at the conference table, whenever that may happen, we will be ahead of the game.

Now, let me present a fact: we have opened the first cluster, while others in the region have been in negotiations for several years. Albania is the only country in the region, including those that have been negotiating for several years, that has no intermediate benchmarks in the field of public procurement until membership. What does this mean? It means that Albania is regarded as the most advanced country in public procurement, which is a very fact that, unfortunately, the Albanian people do not learn about, from the media. According to the latest SIGMA report, which is an OECD entity that provides factual analyses and results to the European Commission, Albania currently ranks distinctly first in the region for standards and implementation of public procurement. This means that we have not lost a single minute, despite the political challenges that have hindered us from opening the negotiations earlier, while the Commission has recommended the opening of negotiations three consecutive times, however our long-established station and destination is that we will prepare Albania to be a full member, seated at the table of the united European family within this decade. We will be ready to raise our national flag in Brussels, alongside other flags, and we will also be the first in line, as it starts with A—Albania—within this decade. This is how it works.

Will we open all the group clusters, and will we undertake this monumental task that no other country has accomplished before the end of 2027? We will do the work necessary for this to happen. Never forget that the work and the facts that the European Commission evaluates regarding the decision to sit at the table also involve a political level related to political decision-making. We do not have political decision-making in our hands  we have only the ability to do our work and to make Albania a place where things function just like in the member states of the European Union. This is our duty, and this is what we are doing and will continue to do, I reiterate that while all Albanians are told, morning, noon, and night, that in Albania there are five individuals who control everything and that there are no public procurements, Albania is ranked first in the region for public procurement, and in the evaluation of public procurement standards, it has received the highest rating at this stage, with no intermediate benchmarks to meet. This means there are no intermediate tasks to fulfill; we simply need to consolidate the system we have.

This is a very different and contradictory truth compared to what is communicated to Albanians by sources that should inform them based on facts, yet increasingly, and this phenomenon is not limited to Albania but is seen worldwide, facts have been turned into opinions, and at this point, there is little we can do.

Fortunately, we have the European Commission that evaluates based on facts and not opinions. Regarding the other question concerning dialogue, I fully agree. The problem is that when you need to dance, it requires two people, and the dance cannot begin if both do not wish to participate. It is very straightforward to identify who is in favor of dialogue—those who are willing to speak. Conversely, those who are not in favor of dialogue are very clear—those who are not willing to engage. If there is no willingness from both sides to converse, then there can be no dialogue. If they feel excluded, I regret to say this is a form of self-exclusion without any factual basis related to our approach and positions. It is their legitimate choice; we are a free democratic country, and everyone makes their own choices, including the choice to politically self-destruct, which is legitimate and cannot be prevented.

The report reflects the political situation, particularly the current state of the Albanian parliament, which is experiencing tension. Referring to you, Prime Minister, with your permission, and to what you mentioned earlier regarding the need for two to engage in tango, will the European Commission take on the role of conductor to bring the two sides together and resolve this impasse? You referenced the report as a reflection of the annual evaluations of state-building. However, from my personal perspective, there is a concerning aspect regarding the government in the report, specifically stating that the government has adopted initiatives and laws not in alignment with European Union standards. How do you view this assessment?

Ambassador Silvio Gonzato: You know, I love music, but I do not consider myself a good conductor; I prefer to remain in the audience and enjoy the performance. However, I have consistently highlighted the importance of the reforms that Albania needs to go through These are not merely bureaucratic reforms but profound changes aimed at improving the functioning of society. Therefore, it is crucial for the opposition to participate in this process.

I have made every effort to facilitate this dialogue. I have tried to urge the opposition to engage because, as I mentioned in the recent Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting with European Parliament members, the success of Albania belongs to everyone; it is not solely the responsibility of the majority or the opposition. Everyone should feel ownership to this success. There are appropriate ways to express disagreement and to communicate differing views. Members of the European Parliament recently engaged in dialogue with their Albanian counterparts on this matter. In this context, I do not think that violence or disruption of parliamentary activities are acceptable methods. There are alternative ways to engage in political dialogue that necessitate a willingness to reconsider positions. I hope a path will be found to re-engage the opposition. I stand ready to provide any information they might seek, but this requires a commitment from both sides, not just from the government.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: The government currently does not intend to engage with the opposition. I can also speak from my own experience leading the opposition. When we were in that position, the government consistently refused to communicate with us; we sent letters requesting dialogue but received no responses. We proposed collaborative efforts, yet there was no reply. However, today and continuing until I remain in this role—it will never be a problem for the government and the majority to sit at the table and discuss matters. Discussions should occur through dialogue rather than through force or intimidation. This is quite straightforward.

As for your other question, I reiterate that I hold the Progress Report in high regard. To be honest, it is the only report I read from cover to cover among all international reports, as it is based solely on facts; it does not rely on opinions or perceptions. For instance, it does not simply ask, “Is Albania honest or corrupt?” and conclude that Albania is corrupt. The report is fact-based and thoroughly analyzed according to the criteria and standards of the European Union’s functioning and certainly, if we examine the critical aspects of the report, it is the most critical Progress Report to date. While it includes positive evaluations, it also offers necessary critiques. We need this critical feedback because we are not yet members of the European Union. If such criticisms were absent, we would be told, “Come join the EU because you are just like us.” We are not yet at that level, and we strive to transform Albania daily.

Thus, your observations are accurate; there are criticisms regarding specific government initiatives and other areas, and we acknowledge these critiques. We accept them as valid and will address them systematically.

Thank you very much!